For the first time ever, the nonprofit Local First is buying ads on billboards and online all over West Michigan.

Regional reach

Stories will be at the heart of the Discover Your Local Treasure marketing campaign.

Local First is hoping the campaign will reach people who have never thought about the importance of buying local, which is why it’s has chosen advertising mediums it hasn’t used in the past.

The campaign will run from now through April 2014.

Local First said that in November alone, the campaign will receive 36 million impressions from West Michigan residents, and over the duration, the campaign will make more than 200 million impressions.

Local stories

Businesses will have the chance to tell their stories, and community members will be able to share their favorite local shops through social media platforms.

Local First is asking West Michigan, “What’s your favorite local treasure?” and encouraging everyone to shop local.

It says the message is simple: support the people that live in your community by shopping local.

Local First said the region is "full of locally owned businesses that make this place unique.”

"We get to work with our community's local treasures on a daily basis,” said Elissa Hillary, executive director of Local First. “Through this campaign, we get to share the behind-the-scenes stories about the local businesses and owners that positively impact our community."

Hillary said Local First wants people to “discover and share their local treasures, which will deepen connections between businesses and consumers — and remind our community of how special West Michigan is."

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